"Pittsburgh's Black and Gold" is the resurrection of a magazine that was first published in the late 70s, and ended after only a five year run. Today, nearly 30 years later and in a totally new medium, it is once again being published by Angelo Spagnolo, a lifelong Pittsburgher and avid sports fan of all teams "Black and Gold". This site is a tribute to Pittsburgh, where the home teams all wear the same uniform colors. "It's a hard-drinkin' town with an all Pittsburgh sports problem!!!"

Saturday, March 7, 2009

There's never been an NCAA national championship ever played before in Pittsburgh--until yesterday that is. The Pitt Panthers, everyday looking more and more like the future national champions yesterday chopped down the Giant Sequoia known as UConn for the second time this year. It was only the sixth time in NCAA history that a team had beaten a top ranked team twice in the same season.

Above: This species of Giant Sequoia, Giganticus Uconnus, was felled yesterday with a terrible crash, which led many to comment afterward, "The bigger they are, the harder they fall."

The Panthers looked like a finely-tuned Ferrari yesterday running the break and executing beautiful outlet passes. Sam Young, with 31 points. seemed virtually unstoppable as he was able to hit from the outside, slash to the hoop or make the spectacular slam that he is so well known for.

Levance Fields, who was injured a few nights ago when he landed hard on the court, did not practice all week and didn't even warm up with the team. But amazingly, there he was at tipoff leading the offense and outwardly displaying no ill effects from his bruised tailbone, at least nothing that a little cortisone shot couldn't handle. Fields didn't have a good day shooting going 4-14, but he turned in his usual masterpiece of assists to turnovers with 12 assists and justtwo turnovers.

UConn came into the contest with a plan to seal off DeJuan Blair from hurting them inside. He had destroyed them the last time they played. However, while they may have accomplished this goal, the overplay allowed Pitt's perimeter game to operate with much less pressure and that to many scores. Once again it was a rough and tumble game that has become the trademark of both schools and the Big East.

With this win Pitt now has the highest RPI in the country and stands to have a great possibility of securing the overall number one seed in the tournament depending on the outcome of the Big East. This would mean that they would receive the number one spot in the East Regional which would have their early round games taking place closer to home. The NCAA Championship this year is being played at Detroit's Ford Field, site of the Steelers victory over Seattle three years ago in SuperBowl XL. I'm sure that if Pitt were to make it to the Final Four, that Detroit could expect a similar invasion of Pittsburgh fans.

Pitt certainly has the look and feel of a national champion. This team has every facet of its' game in perfect balance, from heavy senior leadership in Fields, Young and Biggs, the power forward DeJuan Blair, great shooters in Gilbert Brown, Aston Gibbs, Brad Wannamaker and Jeramie Dixon, to bench depth, ball-handling skills, and an ability to flat out explode on opponents leaving them gasping for air alongside the raod. The team plays great defense and can run the bejezzus out of the floor excelling in great outlet passes.

These last two games against Marquette and UConn have been two of the most impressive wins I've ever seen any Pitt team have. That they beat these two team back-to-back only adds to the growing consensus that it is very clear that this is the very best unit Pitt has ever assembled and most observors seem to feel that it is indeed Pitt's year to finally win it all. Basketball can be a funny game though. Teams can have off shooting nights or come up against a Coppin State or opponent of that ilk and sometimes struggle. Also, foul trouble can very often rear its' ugly head, especially in the NCAAs where they call 'em a lot closer. We all know what can happen when Pitt's "Cloverfield Monster" gets himself in foul trouble. It can be this team' only achilles heel.

"I hear you could scratch my back with a hacksaw!!!"

Mellon Arena

Another Pittsburgh Icon soon to be blown up. They should've made this into the "North Pole Casino". It would've been great!

Chuck Tanner Figurine

Quite possibly the worst sports likeness ever foisted upon the figurine-bobblehead collecting public

Pittsburgh Icon WITH HIS ICON

Waving The Icon He Created ! God Bless You Myron!

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Jack "Splat" Lambert

"Count Dracula In Cleats". I wonder how he feels about Hines Ward getting fined for hitting people too hard?

Maz Bobblehead

Doesn't Look Like Him at all.

"The Mendoza Line"

Baseball's Equivalent of the Worst Avid Golfer. I'd like to meet him, but it could cause a crack in the "space-time continuum".

"The Poison Brothers"

We Miss You Myron

About Me

I'm well known for my golf exploits as "America's Worst Avid Golfer" (Golf Digest Magazine, 1985). I took 66 strokes on the island hole at the TPC in Florida (losing 27 balls in the process) thus the 66 on my profile. For the whole gristly story: http://commodoreclub.org/administrative/257_for_18_holes.htm/

"Beat the Broncos...

DICK GROAT

Falling Below Mendoza Line

"P.B.& G." Editor brings another title home to Pittsburgh in 1985 as "Worst Avid Golfer". Click on the photo to see CBS' coverage!

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"Pittsburgh's Black and Gold" is a regularly published blog site that is not sponsored or endorsed by any of the teams that it reports on (Steelers, Penguins, Pirates). All pictures are used here without prior permission. However, if we have used your picture and you would like us to take it down, we will gladly comply with your request. Our mission statement at "PB&G" is to provide an additional insight into all things Black & Gold both for current Pittsburgh residents and for those transplanted Pittsburghers who will always call "The 'Burgh" home.